Oral History Interviews

Johnny Rodgers can tell you all about the trends of piano sales in Texas. As salesman for Jent Music in Lubbock, he has watched the market and his customer base change over the years. He has also had the unique opportunity to work with the Jent family, one of the principal families in the industry. Over the years the Jent’s have supported such organizations as AMC, NASMD and NAMM. Mr. Ray Jent served on the NAMM Board twice. Johnny’s NAMM Oral History interview was completed on January 19, 2006.  

Alvino Rey tinkered with putting a phonograph pickup in his banjo to increase the volume in 1927. His inventive mind also led to early guitar pickups and the design of a pedal-steel guitar. A life-long performer, he is also known to generations for his work during the swing era including his own big band, which he formed in 1939 as well as the fact that he married one of the famed King Sisters. He mastered the classical guitar and recorded and performed until just months before his passing at the age of 93 in 2004.  

Nick Peck’s entire face lights up whenever he talks about a great school music program! The son of a band director, the passion seems to be in his blood. After taking over the store his father started in Greenville, South Carolina, Nick joined the NAMM board in 1969. He rose to the top becoming President at a very important time in the industry. He stated, “During that time, we had changes both in and outside of NAMM. It was hard work, but very rewarding.” His first NAMM Oral History interview was completed on May 6, 2003. 

Sammy Nestico has revolutionized the band and orchestra repertoire by composing and arranging top jazz charts for all levels of bands. As a result, this arranger of Count Basie’s band in the 1950s is known as well to music fans in their 80s as he is to beginning music students in elementary school. Along the way Sammy has delighted music fans with a clear and understandable sound that focuses on strength of the melody rather than overpowering high notes and speed.

Les Paul will forever be known for his role in the popularity of the electric guitar, the design of the Gibson Les Paul guitar, the multi track recording, the early guitar effects, and his million selling recordings with wife Mary Ford. However, did you know Les also appeared as product endorsee in more NAMM shows than just about any other artist? From the 1950s onward Les stood in the Gibson booth shaking hands and signing autographs while promoting the guitar line. In fact in 2006, after the Gibson Company purchased Baldwin Pianos, Les was at the NAMM show promoting the Les Paul

Jay R. Morgenstern was a veteran of the record and music publishing industries and served as the Executive Vice President/General Manager of Warner Chappell Music Inc. His amazing career was only matched by his reputation as a passionate advocate for those he represents. During our interview he spoke of his early days and the many changes he has witnessed in the music publishing business over the years. He paid tribute to those he had worked for who helped him in the beginning and noted that he hopes to have provided the same guidance to others who have pursued a career in the mus

Vic Mizzy wrote a number of hit songs for popular music, movies and television beginning in the 1940s. He wrote “The Jones Boy” for the Mills Brothers and is perhaps best known for writing TV theme songs for Green Acres and The Addams Family (for which he also sang on the original recording). As he began to work in the movies in the 1960s, Vic became active in ASCAP and other elements within movie contracts to ensure the rights of the songwriter and his art was protected.

Billy May was a fun loving trumpeter who arranged some of the best-loved music of the Big Band Era! His humor and musical talents provided hit recordings for Glenn Miller, Charlie Barnet and Frank Sinatra, to name but three. His enormous output included radio, TV and movie work as well as thousands of studio recordings over his 6 decades as a musical artist. When NAMM first requested that Mr. May record some of his stories for the Oral History program he shied away from the request. It wasn’t until Sammy Nestico made the request on behalf of NAMM that Mr. May and Mr. Nestico were

Jim Marshall was in a full body cast as a 12-year-old boy due to polio. He managed to overcome the incredible odds to not only walk again, but also to become a trained tap dancer. He founded a charity to help crippled children and tap danced at charity events to raise money for the cause. Of course along the way Jim designed and produced the revolutionary guitar amplifiers with his name, that forever changed the way rock and roll was heard. He played a major role in the growth and expansion of the music products industry and spent many trade shows shaking hands and posing for phot

Keith Mardak provided great detail of the history of Hal Leonard Publishing, especially the stories of the company's founder, who passed away years ago, before they could be interviewed for this program. Without Keith's insight the early days of this important music publisher may have been lost. Keith also added background on his own impressive career in our industry, as well as his insights on the condition of the industry.

Leif Juhl has had quite a life in music! As a boy, he picked up a trumpet – the instrument he still played in his early 90s when his oral history interview was completed at his Arizona home. Leif was the ad man for Selmer before forming the Juhl Ad Agency in Elkhart, Indiana. Over the years, he worked for many instrument companies and even helped design some accessories such as a special trumpet case with a hidden compartment. His first NAMM Oral History interview was completed on May 4, 2003.

George Holden was the president and co-founder of Smith-Holden Music Store in Bloomington, IN. As a music teacher George partnered with a close friend who sadly committed suicide soon after the store was opened in the 1950s. In memory of him, George decided not to change the store name. Over the years the store became an important resource for the local college music programs as well as the beginning student. George retired in 2007, but found himself back in the store getting caught up on his former employees lives and that of his long time customers for many more years.

Brad Hershberger’s mother and father opened a music retail store in rural Nebraska in the late 1950s. Brad grew up in the business and worked side by side with his father to develop and market the store’s key services. Brad has focused on maintaining their customer base built up over the years and has been successful in keeping on-line and catalog competitors at arm’s length, with the simple ideas of knowing who your costumer is and what they want.

Dr. Sidney Harman, the founder of Harman-Kardon and Harman Industries provided a fascinating interview. He spoke of his early days and the innovative product line that helped develop the “hi-fi” industry (now referred to as the audio industry). He also took the time to outline the background for his influential business model of empowering employees with a sense of ownership in the work that they do. The model became the basis of his book Mind Your Own Business, which is used in universities and business programs around the world.  

Alfredo Flores was born in Mexico in 1908 and moved to San Antonio, Texas with his mother and grandmother when he was a small boy. He took several jobs as a young man including a position with the Thomas Goggan piano company. His experience with the piano company provided Mr. Flores with the idea and contacts to open his own business. Alamo Music Exchange was formed in 1929, just months before the stock market crash. The store was able to withstand the Great Depression due to Mr. Flores’ dedication to customer service. Over the years the store grew in size and reputation, leading

Alfredo Flores Jr. proudly took over the music store his father established in 1928. Alamo Music Center in San Antonio, Texas, has long been established as a focal point for music making in the area. Under Alfredo Flores Jr’s leadership, the product lines have increased as well as the store’s community and industry involvement. In fact he served on the NAMM Board for many years including the role as president from 1985 to 1987.

Martin Denny cornered the market on the musical style of the early 1950s known as exotica. The smooth melody of the songs were enhanced by hundreds of different tropical sounding instruments, jungle noises and the call of birds. Martin began his musical career as a composer and piano playing bandleader in the era of the swing bands. He was booked for a 3-week engagement in Hawaii where he developed the idea of creating "mood music" for the island.

Paul Damiano has played a critical role in the growth and development of Kaman Music ever since first joining the company in the early 1980s. With a great understanding and passion for marketing and manufacturing, he was able to design processes that increased the company’s success especially in considering the ever-changing global market. Paul has also been very active in the music industry working closely with NAMM, PASIC and music educators to develop meaningful programs that encourage music makers around the world.  

Andy Clark was one of the great personalities of the music publishing industry. Over his long and respected career, Andy served as a musician, band director, arranger, composer, and publisher, always bringing enthusiasm and creativity to music education. Known for his keen understanding of school music programs, he helped strengthen countless bands and music departments by developing meaningful educational materials and supporting directors and students alike. In 1988, Andy co-founded Norman Lee Publishing before joining C. L. Barnhouse Company later that same year.

Don Canedy was a beloved band director and professor at Southern Illinois University before being hired by the Roger’s Drum Company in 1961. Don played drums beginning at the age of 10 and was a perfect fit for the company’s Educational Director. Just prior to his job at Roger’s, which at the time was owned by CBS Musical, Don played a vital role in establishing the Percussive Arts Society. Encouraged by Remo Belli, Don organized the first mailing list, poster for PAS and became the organization’s first president.  His passion was always music and music education and he provided a

T. Warren Brown was president of the music store his father established in the Tacoma, Washington area in the years of World War II. Ted Brown Music became an important leader in the music retail business with Warren playing key roles in the expansion of the store. Warren was also active within the industry, where he helped the establishment of the Omega Group as well as NASMD National Association of School Music Dealers. A matter of pride for Warren was that his daughters grew up in the business and went on to run the business.

Ernie Briefel played a tremendous role in the wholesaling of musical instruments in New York City, beginning in the 1950s. His understanding of the business and close partnerships resulted in creative innovations, the establishment of brands, the growth of markets and accessibility to in-demand instruments. While interviewing Ernie, it was clear that the friendships he developed along the way were truly a key factor not only in his success but also in the enjoyment he found within the music products industry over his long career.  

William Bevan has proudly served as an engineer at Shure Incorporated. for over 40 years. He was a key engineer in many of the company’s products from the early 1960s and running into the 2000s. He worked in the electronic development departments with a focus in his early years in photograph cartridges and microphone development. William often spoke of his enjoyment serving Shure and described his co-workers as “a family team.”  

Lou Berger was an energetic piano salesman in the style of the old piano traveler of a by-gone era. In fact, what Lou knew about selling pianos he learned from some of the old timers when he was a young man starting out in the business. Lou was a walking encyclopedia of the piano business and was well versed in the player piano boom of the 1890s all the way to the electronic piano disc boom of the 1990s. In fact he once provided training classes for the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music’s docent program on the subject of player pianos.

Remo Belli revolutionized the music products industry by introducing the Weather King, the single most popular drumhead in the world! As a jazz drummer, Remo was looking for ways to improve the percussive products he was using. Once his team of chemists found the perfect formula, Remo took it around to his many drummer friends to test the product out. Remo pioneered the use of music and wellness with his dear friend Karl Bruhn and a wave of instruments aimed at getting all ages involved with music and music making. We have interviewed Remo several times for the NAMM Oral History p

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter gained enormous international fame as a founding member of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. Skunk’s solo licks are among the most noted and influential in rock and roll history. As product advisor, he has also played an important role in the early Roland guitar synthesizers and several effects pedals over the years. His understanding of the inner workings of the electric guitar has made him a well-respected and sought-after expert on subjects both from a design and engineering perspective as well as from a musician’s angle.  

Jane Smisor Bastien together with her husband. James Bastien wrote the best-selling method book, Bastien Piano Methods, which was enjoyed by millions of students and teachers worldwide. The series of books, all published by the Neil A. Kjos Music Company, are now translated into more than 16 languages. Inspired by Robert Pace's "Multi-Key" pedagogical approach and her own ideas culled from years of teaching, Jane and James created the much loved and accessible "Gradual Multi-Key Approach".

 Howard Bailey was the executive account representative for the Freeman Companies, which serviced the NAMM show. Howard became a beloved part of the NAMM family and helped develop many benefits for the trade show attendee as well as the exhibitor. Beginning in 1964, Howard provided detail dimensions and locations of the exhibit space (first in hotel sleeping rooms and later in the great ballroom and convention settings), which provided great benefit to the exhibitor, allowing them to be more precise about the inventory they brought to the show.

Bob Ziems (it sounds like "seems as in Ziems it seems") was a dedicated member of the testing department at CG Conn from 1941-1971 and later with Selmer. However, it was what he did for a hobby that became most important to the NAMM Resource Center. As early as 1937, Bob took photographs of every musical company, store and even small tool shed that produced instruments in the town of Elkhart.

George Ullmann directed the Boosey & Hawks Canadian operation for several decades beginning in the 1970s. It was during those early days of expanding the Canadian music market that George began serving on the Musical Instrument Association of Canada’s Board (MIAC). While George served as president of MIAC the association enjoyed a growth in members both domestic and foreign as well as the launch of several educational initiatives. After Boosey & Hawks closed their Canadian distribution, George formed his own company, Counterpoint Musical Service.